


Burning Eyes

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Drama, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-08-16
Updated: 2004-08-16
Packaged: 2019-05-30 11:31:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15095840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: She knows she needs to tell Josh.  But she also knows that he would kill Dan.





	Burning Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Author** : Laura Lei

**Title** : Burning Eyes

**Character** : Donna

**Category** : Drama

**Pairing** : Josh/Donna

**Rating** : TEEN

**Summary** : She knows she needs to tell Josh.  But she also knows that he would kill Dan.

**Author’s Notes** : This story explores domestic abuse, so be prepared.

**Disclaimer** : Donna, Josh, CJ, Sam, and Toby are not my characters in any way.  I don’t own them.  Aaron Sorkin does.

She entered The West Wing relieved that she was out of the house again, even if it was for only 12 hours.  Dan would be home for 3 hours before her, awaiting a perfectly cooked meal.  When Donna first met Dan Riley he was smart, confident, strong, and made her laugh with his bold comments.  She felt as though he was a pillar that could hold her up.  When they moved in to an apartment together, she didn’t know then that the only thing he could be was a brick wall trapping her.  All she could do was stay behind that wall and hope no one would see the pain she endured every day.

Everyday Donna picked an outfit that said _held-together, self-made woman._   No one knew that it also said _covers the bruises._ She put her hair in a clean pony-tail, and applied a natural chic layer of make-up.  She put on a mask.

“Donna mi compadre, how do you do today?” CJ chirped as she rode along side.

“Wonderful.  What news have you got for the world today?”  Donna responded equally chipper.

“I’m not sure yet. I just got in.  Let’s have lunch out, today.  I’m having a tiff with the chef in the mess.”

“Care to share?”

“I think he was offended that I didn’t eat his tuna salad.  I clearly asked for chicken salad.  He mistook my request as ‘chicken of the sea’.  So now I am unappreciative in his eyes.  Too much drama for a kitchen if you ask me.”

“Sounds complicated.”

“Hardly.  So, 12:30.  Lunch today.  Your choice.”

“You know, I’ve been looking for something good in day ahead of me. You just made it.  See you later CJ.”

“Adios, Donna.” CJ signed off.

 

At 12:20, Dan rang in on Donna’s cell phone.  He went home sick from the office and wanted soup.  Donna spent 2 minutes arguing with him and eventually gave in.  

“I’ll be there in 10 minutes.” Disappointment rang in her voice.

“No, no.  In 10 minutes, we are going out for lunch.”  CJ came up from behind.

“Dan’s sick and he needs me there with him at home.  I don’t think he needs added stress right now, with his company expanding and all.  We can do it tomorrow I promise.”  

“Tomorrow is Saturday.”

“Monday, then.  I’m sorry CJ.”  She grabbed her coat and headed for Josh’s office.  He would have to do without her today.  

“Josh I have to go home.  But you have a meeting on the Hill at 3.  Here are the papers you need.  There is a list of calls you need to make today in an e-mail I just sent you.  I’m really sorry about this.”

“Why are you going home?”  This was the 3rd time this month that Donna had left in a hurry in the middle of the day.  He didn’t like the feeling he got when she was in that state.

“Dan needs me. He is sick.”  Her explanation was dry.

“What, he can’t walk to the fridge to the counter to the microwave by himself?”  Josh poked.

“Funny. Hilarious.  Are you going to fire me if I go for the rest of the day?”  

“I’ll think about it.  Go home” He dismissed her and watched her walk out cautiously.

Josh never liked Dan in the first place.  He seemed over bearing, and controlling.  None of which Donna deserved.  He swore to himself that if for any reason, Donna was hurt, sad, or mad Josh would kill Dan.  So would Sam and Toby.  The 3 of them toasted to it on the house warming party for Dan and Donna.  He flashed back to Dan watching Donna with burning eyes.  He loved her, but not in the right way.  He seemed possessive, obsessive, and compulsive.  Not the right state of mind for a relationship.  Surely not with delicate, nurturing, fun, free spirited Donnatella.  He would kill him.  

“Joshua, are you sure you can survive this day without Miss. Moss?”  Chimed Sam as he briskly walked into the office.

“What do you want?”  he responded.

“She went home to Daniel, didn’t she?  I can tell it’s bugging you already.  Do we need to kill him yet?  Do we have grounds?”

“Hold it, Tonto.  She’s a big girl who can handle herself. She will come to us if she needs it.  But I highly doubt it.  Well, I’m hoping we can doubt it.”

“Yeah, So about your meeting on the Hill, I really need you to land our supporters.  There is no way we can pass the bill without them.” Sam urged.

“I know, I know.” He said distractedly.  Maybe he could talk to her tomorrow.  What about, though?  Being a good girlfriend?  No. She would go to him if things went south.  He had faith in their friendship.

She knew that in a month when the new addition was up, running, and successful.  He could relax, but for now she exclusive to his needs.  When he was angry and stressed, the combination was lethal.  One disagreement or unpleasing remark and she could expect a slap on the face.

“Don’t humiliate me or put me down like that.  I am a man, and I am the head in this relationship.  You have just got to remember that.  If you do, no bruises.  It’s as simple as that, baby.”  That was his usual claim.

However, when she was “selfish” or “disloyal”, he would grab her arms so hard and lecture her in such a demeaning manner, that her self-esteem was as big as her pinky nail.  Yet her bruises were much larger and much more visible.  Sometimes she would think of how Josh or CJ or Sam would react.  Josh would kill him.  CJ would announce to the world what a coward he was, and that was after she chewed him up and spit him out.  Sam would tell him what a disgrace he was to the human race and help Josh kill him.  But no, because everyone would see that she was weak enough to stay with him, too weak to leave.  Her despair was overwhelming at times.  She would stand in the shower in the morning, crying silently.  Thus was life to her.  Wishing, hoping, and then letting her self down.  Leaving her self susceptible to Dan’s burning eyes.

 

Monday was the best day for Donna.  The weekend was over, and her days were no longer spent tip-toeing around Dan’s nerves.

“Lunch today. 12:30.  No way in hell you are getting out of it.”  CJ notified Donna.

“Good. I’m looking forward to it.”

“...Good.”  She veered off into her office.

“DONNA!”  Josh yelled in his usual demanding tone.

“JOSH!” She replied with equal force.

“How are you and Dan doing?”

She froze for a second then returned to life. “We are living our lives together the way we intended.  We don’t need check-ups from you, thanks.”  _Good job, Donna, not frosty or defensive at all._

“Okay.  I’m gonna need my head back after you just bit it off.  Do you want to get some lunch out this afternoon?  I’m getting sick of the Mess.”  He shied away from the touchy subject.

“Not if you’re going to pry into my personal life.” _Way to keep it as unfrosty as possible, genius._ “Besides, you have lunch out with Rebecca Fox from the GAO today at 12:00.”

“Oh, all right then.  I’m in my office.”

“I know.”

“Okay.”

“All right.”

Donna returned to her computer waiting for the sweet release of lunch hour.  She didn’t answer the phone when Dan called.  He couldn’t ruin her day today.  Turned out it wasn’t 1 missed call from him.  It was 5.  He would have to except her excuse of a meeting with the President.  If he believed it.

 

“Donna, let’s go.  I’m hungry and the clock is running before the press gets hungry for an update.” CJ pushed.

“I’m all go.”  She grabbed her purse, and left her coat, where her cell phone lay.

“Wait a minute, dear assistant of mine.” Josh grabbed Donna’s upper arm.

“Ah, God!”  She yelped, with an added wince.

“Whoa, what is it?”  

“I – I got my arm caught in the door of the metro on Friday afternoon.  On my way home.  I really needed to get on that train.  I barely made the train, and the door didn’t sense me there.”  Her rambles were trying to cover the obvious.

“That’s strange.  How are things with Dan and you again?” Josh didn’t believe her for one second.  CJ stood by with a skeptical look on her face.  Donna didn’t respond, but only glared at him.  If he only knew, he would kill him.  Who needs that added stress.

“Lunch waits for us at the bistro,” CJ said slowly.

“That sounds good to me.”  Donna responded decidedly.

The ride on the metro was a quiet one for Donna and CJ.  Donna could feel CJ’s eyes on her, examining her face for a look, a clue, a sign of something.  Donna was not one to be stressed about missing her train home.  There was a train every five minutes.  Josh was right, something was strange.  

 

Donna was on her way home at 6:30 that night.  It was earlier than she expected and earlier than she wanted.  Dan was on the couch with a beer in is hand and 4 empty ones on the counter in the kitchen.  His face was painted with anger and he barely looked at her when she walked in.

“Hey honey.  How was your day?” Donna questioned cautiously.

“You would know if you answered your phone.  I called 10 times.  I stopped leaving messages after the 5th.  Are you avoiding me?”

“Why would I?  I live with you.”

“Don’t smart mouth me.”

“Babe, I’m sorry I didn’t call you back.  I had a meeting with the President today, and I went out without my coat.  My phone was in my coat.”  She defended herself.

“Yeah, and did you spend 6 hours with the President and 6 hours out to lunch?  Do you ever check your messages?”  His voice was getting strained.  She could feel his anger radiating off of him.

“It was a hectic day today.  I’m very sorry and it won’t happen again.  Relax.”

“You really needn’t tell me what to do.  I don’t like being bossed around.  And I don’t appreciate you sneaking around behind my back.”

He had grabbed her arms at this point and slammed her against the living room wall.  She cringed at the sound of the mirror slapping against the wall.  She couldn’t look at him.  “Are you listening to me? Because it is for your own good.” 

He kept yelling at her.  But she never looked at him.  His burning eyes were too painful to look at.  3 blows to the face, and a kick in the ribs was all she would endure.  When he stopped and she heard him gulp some beer, Donna grabbed his signed baseball bat and the next sound she heard was a hollow _thunk._   He was in a heap on the floor.  It took a moment to realize what she had done.  What could she do now?  Wait until he woke up and apologize sweetly?  Let him recuperate and resume his beating?  No, enough was enough.

 

Ring. “Hello.” 

“CJ?  Hi, it’s Donna.”  Her voice was shaky and higher than usual.

“Hello.  What’s up?”  CJ asked.  She sensed the uneasiness in her voice.

“Wow, I don’t know how to say this.  I didn’t get my arm closed in the train door.”

Pause.

“Okay.  Do you need to see me or do you want me to call someone?”

“Um, I have Dan locked in a closet.  With a large bump on the back of his head and he might wake up soon.  I don’t know how long the chair will keep the door from opening.”

“Oh my.  I’ll be over in 15 minutes.  What time is it?”

“8:15. I hear him moving.”

“10 minutes.”

 

Donna could hear Dan moaning and moving around in the closet.  He started cursing in pain.  She jumped when she mistook the poundings on the front door from Dan’s on the closet.

 

“Donna? It’s me, CJ.  I brought someone.”  CJ rang from behind the door.

“I don’t know what to do right now.”  Donna said as she opened the door.  

“Holy God, Donna what did he do to you?”  Josh’s voice was filled with a mixture of anger and concern.  He couldn’t decide whether to hold Donna and heal her or to find the bastard who did it to her.  Sam came around the corner and looked around the apartment and pointed silently at the closet with a chair against the knob.  His look asked Donna if this is where he was.  She confirmed.  He stood there holding a bat and a clenched jaw.

“DONNA!! Let me out of here you stupid Bitch!”  Dan’s voice was filled with rage.  He was pounding on the door so hard the walls shook.

CJ said quietly “Josh and Sam will wait out here while I help you pack a bag.  You are staying with me tonight and we will go to the police tomorrow morning.  By the afternoon, he will be in jail.”

“CJ, I don’t know if I can-.” She was cut off by CJ.

“Show me where your bags are.”

She packed her bags silently as a tear ran down her cheek.  CJ hugged her for a moment, and then continued packing.  Meanwhile, Dan yelled completely ignorant to the fact that 3 other people heard him yell every degrading remark in the book.  When they returned to the living room, Josh and Sam were standing ready at the closet door.  Their faces were redder than the fire-engine walls.

“I have to tell him that I’m leaving him.  Face to face.  I need to stand up to him.  Let him out.”

The chair removed from the door, it burst open.  Dan stood for a second to soak up the situation, then lunged for Donna.  He was still drunk.

“I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!” he screamed, eyes red with rage.  Burning eyes.  Donna flinched and braced herself on the back of the couch.  He was caught by a right hook from Josh, and a shove against the wall from Sam.  He was held there by Sam’s forearm. 

“I’m leaving you.  Don’t call me in the morning.  Don’t try and find me.”  Donna warned him.  She walked out of the apartment feeling her stomach flop and then rise in her throat.  She couldn’t suppress the choking sobs that escaped her.  The image of Dan that she created had been slowly eroding for the past few months, but now it was a pile of ashes.  CJ escorted her to the hallway while Sam and Josh gave Dan a warning of their own.  Josh’s anger was too big to be released on one person.

“You just made the biggest mistake of your life.  Since I am a government employee, you are extremely lucky.  I am so close to killing you right now.  I won’t though, because the President and this country need me.  I’m not going to waste my freedom on you.  You are the lowest of all people in this world.  If you ever touch, go near, talk to, or look at Donna Moss again, I will have the Secret Service kill you.  And that’s that.”  Josh released his grip on Dan’s color and backed away slowly as Sam waited by the door.  When it slammed behind them, Dan fell to the floor. 

As they all entered the elevator, Donna couldn’t think of the words to thanks them.  No one had ever done such a thing for her.  She didn’t know how repay them.  They had saved her.

She would always remember Dan’s control and possession of her.  And most of all, she would remember his burning eyes.

El Fin.


End file.
